Pelican Eel Identification Guide
Recognize the pelican eel by its balloon-like mouth and luminous tail tip in the deep sea.
Read the full Pelican Eel encyclopedia entry →
Key identification features
- Enormous, loosely hinged mouth that can expand like a balloon, proportionally larger than in most other deep-sea eels
- Comparatively short, stocky body relative to the huge jaw length
- Thin whip-like tail ending in a pink or reddish light-producing organ
- Small eyes and reduced, weak teeth compared to related deep-sea eels
- Loose, dark blackish-brown skin with no scales
- Overall length usually 60-75 cm
Common look-alikes
- Gulper eel (Saccopharynx species) - separated by tail tip, which lacks a luminous organ in the gulper eel, and by a proportionally longer, more elongated body relative to its jaw compared to the pelican eel
- Snipe eels - separated by a slender, closed, beak-like jaw rather than the pelican eel's distensible sack-like mouth
Where you'll see one
Pelican eels live in the mesopelagic to bathypelagic zone of tropical and temperate oceans worldwide, typically between 500 and 3,000 meters deep. They drift slowly, using the light organ on the tail and the vast mouth to lure and engulf small deep-sea prey.
Frequently asked questions
How do I tell a pelican eel from a gulper eel?
Check the tail tip for a pink or reddish glowing organ - present in the pelican eel and absent in the gulper eel - and compare body proportions, since the pelican eel's body is shorter relative to its huge jaw.
What is the single best clue for identifying a pelican eel?
The balloon-like, hugely oversized mouth relative to its short body is the most reliable single feature.